Fundación Valle de Lili, in order to stay at the forefront of technology and offer high-level radiotherapy treatment options, seeking greater benefits for patients, has obtained the new TrueBeam-Novalis equipment, which is one of the most accurate and versatile radiotherapy platforms, the first of their kind in our country. This technological platform is a fusion of next generation Varian TrueBeam (USA) linear accelerator and high- accuracy Novalis Brainlab (Germany) tool for stereotactic surgery, with the new Elements software which allows for irradiation of multiple brain metastases, spinal tumors and assisted planning in arteriovenous malformations.

In addition, the ARIA management system is now available, which helps in the comprehensive management of the radiotherapy process, ensuring greater safety to our patients. Likewise, the Eclipse planning software was implemented, increasing quality of treatment calculations to help in the implementation of extracranial radiosurgery.

Moving forward in the implementation of advanced radiotherapy techniques, the Siemens Somaton Confidence tomograph, intended for simulation, is now also available, with technology for respiratory control (Tomography 4D). We have renewed all our equipment in order to ensure an adequate quality control of the treatments before being administered to the patient.

TrueBeam Novalis

Novalis TrueBeam, what is it for?

Novalis TrueBeam helps in treatments which need a high accuracy, such as Cranial Radiosurgery (frameless) for treatments of multiple brain metastases and trigeminal neuralgia, as well as Sterotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) for the treatment of hepatic, pulmonary, vertebral and bone metastases, or the treatment of primary lung tumors that cannot be resected by surgery, among others.

Also, our new treatment options include volumetric modulated arc-therapy (VMAT), which is an advanced form of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) that delivers a specific three-dimensional dose of radiation to one lesion or several lesions in 360° turns, usually in less than 2 minutes. Additionally, this equipment’s versatility helps in traditional treatments, covering a broad spectrum of radiotherapy options.

One of the main advantages of this accelerator is the capacity to administer very high precision (submillimetrical) treatments in a reduced time per session, across all treatment techniques. Also, it controls respiratory cycles, so that radiation beams are administered to a tumor at a specific moment during breathing, allowing for a greater protection of healthy tissues and a reduction of side effects. Additionally, it is a hypofractionated therapy, which means that the number of sessions is decreased for certain pathologies, according to the physician’s judgement.

When is it used?

For patients with cancer diagnosis and an indication of radiotherapy treatment, and those with some benign diseases that benefit from radiotherapy treatment. Also, it may be used for the therapies currently offered at the Radiotherapy Service of Fundación Valle del Lili, as well as those to be implemented in the months to come.

What does this technology involve with regards to the cancer management for the country?

It represents a cost-effectiveness benefit in oncological treatments currently performed at the institution, reducing side effects, improving the patient’s experience by decreasing the time per session inside a linear accelerator and the total time of treatment. This impacts positively our patients’ quality of life. This great investment puts Fundación Valle del Lili’s Radiotherapy Service at the level of the highest international standards and at the forefront of the field in our country.